Location: Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research
Project Number: 2056-31610-007-018-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2025
End Date: Aug 31, 2030
Objective:
The objective for this cooperative research project is to evaluate multi-species
grazing systems that are designed to improve carrying capacity and habitat, promote vegetation biodiversity, and mitigate risk of catastrophic wildfires and invasive weeds.
Approach:
Livestock species (cattle, sheep, horses) have different grazing behaviors and
forage preferences. For example, sheep readily select forbs and exotic, invasive
weeds and also consume some grasses. Cattle , like bison, prefer grasses over
native forbs and most exotic, invasive weeds. Horses select a variety of forage
species, but the forage species they select seem somewhat different from those
selected by other livestock species. Long-term, single-species grazing can shift
plant communities away from desirable outcomes. Because of their different grazing behaviors and forage preferences, multi-species livestock grazing, applied in a prescriptive manner according to season and site vegetation composition, may create a more uniform grazing pattern resulting in enhanced vegetation diversity and health, improved forage quality and carrying capacity, enhanced habitat, promote vegetation biodiversity, and reduced risk of catastrophic wildfires and invasive weeds. In accordance with the objective, various methods will be used to assess rangeland site potential, forage communities, estimate biomass and carrying capacity, and define grazing objectives and expected outcomes. Stocking rates and livestock species will be matched accordingly with carrying capacity and grazing needs, and sites will be grazed during defined periods of the year.